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Ancient Roman underwear‚ via cynthiaripleymiller.wordpress.com; with Underwear for women and men‚ via Sanneberg / Shutterstock   From the mysterious depths of prehistory to the present day‚ men and women have sought to cover their bodies with clothing. With functional designs a priority‚ some clothing was designed to be worn underneath other clothes. And so the history of underwear began.   From loincloths to lingerie‚ from long johns to thongs‚ the millennia are filled with a huge variety of undergarments fulfilling different functions‚ meeting the expectations of cultural mores and aesthetics to the biological necessity of their intended use.   Hidden in public and flaunted in the bedroom‚ this is the history of underwear in all its glory.   Ancient Underwear An ancient Egyptian (New Kingdom) mural showing a musician with one woman wearing a cache-sexe‚ via Meister Drucke   The earliest dedicated form of underwear was most certainly the loincloth. A simple strip of material that could be wrapped around the waist‚ between the legs‚ and tucked in‚ it was a practical and simple design that still finds use in certain parts of the world today. Loincloths didn’t‚ however‚ all have the same design. Some were designed to take the form of skirts rather than underpants and were fastened around the waist with a girdle. Another‚ more revealing form of loincloth came in what is known as a cache-sexe. It was generally just a small triangle with strings or loops designed to cover just the genitals. The modern equivalent of this would be the g-string.   Of course‚ all these iterations of loincloths need not be classified as underwear. In hotter climates‚ they would have served as outer garments too.   The oldest evidence of linen and leather panties comes from the Badarian culture of pre-dynastic Egypt from around 4400 BCE. Linen and leather seem to have been the most common materials‚ with linen being used for everyday use‚ while leather panties were used by women when they were menstruating. This trend continued for thousands of years and was also common in ancient Rome.   A Roman mosaic from the Villa Borghese depicting gladiators with some of them wearing underwear‚ via sarahemilybond.com   In the Roman Empire‚ wool was also a common material‚ and silk made its appearance too‚ but it was expensive and thus only available to the wealthy. Nudity‚ for the Romans‚ was tied to class. Enslaved people and gladiators wore loincloths and other forms of underwear as outerwear‚ while the higher classes tended to cover their entire bodies with dresses‚ togas‚ and other garments while dispensing with the day-to-day wearing of underwear. The Roman approach to nudity was more socially conservative than that of their Greek forerunners‚ who liked to exercise nude. While Greek men are said to have worn loincloths‚ it is unclear whether women wore underwear at all.   Roman women made use of strophiae (breastcloths) and sublicula (small loincloth-type undergarments also worn by men)‚ especially when exercising at the gym.   Roman society‚ however‚ lasted for over one thousand years and was not homogeneous. Fashion trends and cultural norms changed dramatically throughout the course of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.   Of course‚ the Mediterranean world wasn’t the only place where underwear was making an appearance. Cultures from all over the globe started inventing their own underwear that aligned with their own cultural mores and societal needs. In China‚ different undergarments were worn throughout the ages. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE)‚ a tunic-style undergarment called a xieyi was worn. During the time of the Northern Dynasty (420 CE – 588 CE)‚ a one-piece breastcloth called a moxiong was popular.   Underwear in the Middle Ages A pair of chausses being worn over a pair of braies‚ via Historic Enterprises   In the Middle Ages‚ men‚ especially of the lower classes‚ tended to wear a loose-fitting pair of pants called braies. These pants were stepped into and then tied around the waist and legs just under the knee. Although they were initially used as outer garments‚ by the late Middle Ages‚ they were used exclusively as underwear. Braies were designed with a flap at the front which could be untied‚ allowing men to urinate without needing to take the entire garment off.   These flaps‚ called codpieces‚ would undergo extensive change through the centuries‚ and by the Renaissance‚ some codpieces were statement symbols of wealth‚ power‚ and size. They were padded and shaped to display rather than conceal the wearer’s manhood. In so doing‚ they evolved from underwear to outerwear‚ reaching their height of popularity in 1540 and then declining around 1590.   A French-style drum Farthingale‚ via Period Corsets   Among the wealthier classes‚ chausses were worn over the legs‚ covering the lower half of the braies‚ which tended to be tighter and more form-fitting. Chausses were individual leggings that did not cover the groin area or the buttocks. They would eventually evolve into tights‚ and by the Renaissance‚ chausses weren’t expected to be worn under any clothing; therefore‚ they were no longer technically underwear.   Both men and women wore a close-fitting shirt called a chemise. Men tucked their chemise into their braies‚ while women would tuck their chemise into a petticoat‚ an underskirt worn underneath the dress. Hoop skirts‚ such as farthingales‚ were petticoats that evolved during the Renaissance and were stiffened with reed or willow rods‚ giving the garments their characteristic shapes.   A modern dudou being worn as an outer garment‚ via Clon’s   In China during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and all the way through to the Qing Dynasty‚ which ended in 1912‚ women wore a close-fitting type of bra called a dudou. It was designed to flatten the breasts‚ as flatter chests were fashionable in these eras. The dudou extended from the top of the chest and also covered the belly. In the modern era‚ the dudou gave way to Western clothing when China modernized‚ but it has found a resurgence in the younger generation of today who wear it as an outer garment‚ especially as beachwear.   A recently discovered 15th-century bra‚ via AP/ Universität Innsbruck   The bra is one of the most iconic and important pieces of underwear today‚ and until recently‚ the modern look and design are thought to be the result of 20th-century fashion trends. The recent discovery of a bra from the 15th century‚ however‚ had upended the original belief. The item of clothing‚ found in the vault of an Austrian castle‚ has the classic bra cup design with support straps that go over the shoulders.   Underwear in the Industrial Era in Europe &; the United States A French corset from 1891‚ via the Metropolitan Museum of Art‚ New York   The onset of the age of mass production and the introduction of cotton as a readily available source of material made the acquisition of underwear much easier. Before the 18th century‚ people usually made their own underwear at home‚ but now they could buy them in shops. From the simple bloomers to elaborate lace-decorated items that came into vogue‚ there was much to choose from.    How to cover the upper bodies of women became big business. For formal occasions‚ corsets were worn. The iconic V-shape of the garment‚ reinforced with wood or “whale-bone” (actually baleen)‚ accentuated the breasts by pushing them up‚ straightening the back‚ and forcing the shoulders back. Many corsets also incorporated entire frames made of metal! For informal occasions (or for breathing)‚ a quilted version called a jump was used‚ which was only partially “boned” and not as restrictive.   A crinoline frame from the United States‚ circa 1860. An additional petticoat would have been worn over the frame to protect the outer skirt‚ via the Metropolitan Museum of Art‚ New York   Corsets remained popular until the early 19th century but became targets for the representation of repression of women. In 1917‚ after the entry of the United States into the First World War‚ the government asked women to stop buying corsets. This move freed up 28‚000 tons of metal‚ which was enough to build two battleships!   On the lower half of the body‚ it was fashionable for women to wear petticoats. One particular style that gained traction in Europe during the early 18th century was the pannier‚ which extended the skirt to the sides while leaving the front and back flat. In the 19th century‚ the crinoline became popular. This hoop skirt widened slightly at the sides and the rear‚ leaving the front relatively flat (in later versions). The wide cage that was the crinoline was dangerous because it was large and flammable. Thousands of women died as a result of knocking over candles and being unable to escape the flames while trapped in their huge‚ constrictive garments. The crinoline thus went out of fashion in the late 19th century and was replaced by the smaller bustle. Discomfort was still the order of the day‚ however‚ and many doctors began to decry women’s fashion as hazardous to women’s health.   The crinoline continues to exist as a popular design for wedding dresses.   An advertisement from 1898 for Lewis union suits for women and men‚ via Period Papers via SANVT Journal   Of course‚ this period in the history of underwear also included garments designed for men. Also used by women and children‚ the union suit was a one-piece garment that buttoned up at the front. A buttoned flap at the back facilitated going to the toilet. The union suit eventually evolved into long johns‚ which was a tight-fitting‚ two-piece undergarment consisting of a long-sleeve top and leggings. It was likely named after the famous bare-knuckle boxing champion John L. Sullivan‚ who wore this type of clothing in the ring.   Underwear in the 20th Century &; Beyond The liberty bodice offered a much more comfortable alternative to the constricting corset‚ via The Underpinnings Museum   In the early 20th century‚ union suits continued to be popular and were produced in staggering numbers. For women‚ the liberty bodice came into fashion. The introduction of new materials offered support without the need for rigid whalebone‚ wood‚ and metal. The liberty bodice was‚ naturally‚ far less restrictive. Although invented in the late 19th century‚ it found popularity among women and girls in the early 20th century.   The beginning of the 20th century also saw the first appearance of underwear resembling modern boxer shorts. The company‚ however‚ went out of business‚ and it would be another 20 years before actual boxer shorts would emerge.   Garter belts and stockings have become a mainstay of the lingerie industry and‚ in the modern era‚ are designed to be sexy‚ via Calzedonia Italy   In 1910‚ advertising for underwear kicked off in the United States. These adverts focused on comfort rather than fashion. This period also saw the invention of the modern undershirt and drawers. The design for women was similar and became known as the camisole and tap pants.   Although women had been wearing brassiere-like undergarments for many years‚ the invention of the first modern bra is attributed to Mary Phelps Jacob‚ who‚ in 1913‚ created the design by tying two handkerchiefs together. The style was patented and marketed‚ becoming extremely popular. In 1928‚ the company Maidenform introduced modern cup sizes.   As the years went by‚ dresses and skirts became shorter‚ and women started wearing stockings as undergarments. This necessitated the invention of the garter belt to hold the stockings up.   A pair of men’s boxer briefs featuring a popular print theme‚ via Man Buns   The first Y-front briefs were sold in 1935 by Coopers Inc. and were an immediate success. They were named “jockeys” as they offered more comfort and the same support as jockstraps had before. In 1938‚ jockeys were introduced to Britain‚ where they sold at an astounding rate‚ eventually overtaking all other forms of men’s lower underwear.   The 1950s saw a major revolution in underwear design in that‚ for the first time‚ underwear started sporting fashionable prints. This revolution pushed the mores of societal dynamics‚ and underwear was promoted as something that could be sneakily revealed in public instead of being something purely functional and designed to be hidden. This went hand-in-hand with the miniskirt and other revealing outerwear.   The 1950s and 1960s also saw new trends in bra design. Pointed bras were trendy in the West‚ and the introduction of push-up bras accentuated women’s breasts. Pantyhose‚ combining panties and hose‚ became extremely popular and then declined.   Different types of women’s underwear that are popular today‚ via treasurie.com   The trend in the 1970s and 1980s was for sexier underwear that emphasized fashion rather than comfort and durability. Tank tops‚ originally worn as undergarments‚ were now being worn as outer garments‚ while g-strings‚ thongs‚ and other similar items became popular among a wider demographic‚ originally being worn only by exotic dancers.   As the world’s views on sexuality relaxed‚ the impact of advertising was huge. Underwear started being advertised with photographs of near-naked models‚ including both men and women. Big companies in this regard include Calvin Klein and Victoria’s Secret as the most famous examples‚ with the latter becoming very famous for its lingerie catalogs.   In the 1990s‚ a new trend emerged with the creation of underpants that combined the tightness of briefs with the length of boxers. “Boxer briefs” remain extremely popular to this day. Originally intended to be worn by men‚ there are also boxer brief designs for women.   The history of underwear is almost as long as human civilization itself. While biological needs have remained the same‚ fashion trends have forced the evolution of underwear into an incredibly diverse range of options that reflect cultures from all over the globe.

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C. Jane Taylor’s moto memoir Spirit Traffic was published in 2022. That summer‚ she and her husband embarked on a 97‑­day cross‑­country book tour on their BMW F 650s. She said her book tour was characterized by deeply rewarding and completely exhausting work. It also featured great roads. During her vacation from what some might already consider a vacation‚ she enjoyed many memorable rides. The leg from Gunnison‚ Colorado‚ to Hovenweep National Monument in Utah was a favorite. –Ed. My husband‚ John‚ and I rode for 97 days – from Maine to California and back to Vermont – on a national book tour in the summer of 2022. We snapped this selfie at 10‚856-foot Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado. West of Gunnison‚ Colorodo‚ U.S. Route 50 was closed. We’d seen signs about the closure for at least 100 miles. Those signs were for other people‚ right? We’d planned to stay on the famous Colorado byway through the Grand Mesa‚ Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests as long as we could. But as we approached Gunnison‚ our shoulders slumped with the reality that the signs were for us. We’d have to rethink our whole route. And the weather was starting to look iffy. Scan QR code above or click here to view the route on REVER At the Gunnison County Chamber of Commerce‚ a note taped to the door underscored the closure. We went inside‚ paper roadmap in hand. At the desk‚ the clerk proffered her own map‚ opening it in front of us. She and John pored over it like kids seeking clues to lost treasure. She confirmed that U.S. 50 was closed and suggested State Route 149 instead. It had less traffic and was more beautiful‚ she assured us. We compared her map to the Butler map for the region. (Butler Motorcycle Maps highlight the best roads‚ rating them on twisties‚ traffic‚ road surface‚ etc.) SR‑­149 was G1 (gold)‚ Butler’s highest rating – perfect! After filling our water bottles‚ we headed to the gas station. SR‑­149 is quite rural‚ so we wanted to be prepared. As John filled our tanks and I surveyed the darkening skies‚ a bolt of lightning ripped through the clouds. Thunder crackled. A guy next to us gassing up his pickup was watching too. “Hope you’re not going that way‚” he said‚ nodding toward the storm. “Not anymore‚” I said. We paid for our gas as the storm clouds gathered closer and closer. Thunder rumbled‚ and lightning struck from cloud to ground in the near distance. We sped back to the park next to the Chamber and ran for the cover of a gazebo. Just as we stepped under‚ buckets of rain dumped from the sky‚ and lightning dashed all around us. The thunder was so loud that we ducked our heads each time it clapped. John snaps another selfie on SR-149 along the Lake Fork River. As two cross-country-and-back trips have taught us‚ body temperature management in variable conditions demands a good rainsuit – and a good attitude. Celebrating our excellent timing‚ we stretched out to nap on top of the picnic tables just as two vans arrived and disgorged two dozen kids. It was the local mountain‑­biking camp escaping the weather. We were instantly surrounded by kids eating popsicles and playing a raucous game of tag. Now each thunderclap was accompanied by the ear‑­piercing screams of prepubescent mountain bikers. One of the camp counselors checked in on our welfare‚ asked about the bikes‚ and offered popsicles‚ which we accepted. The lightning eventually abated‚ though the rain drizzled on. The camp counselors packed their charges and drove away. We wrestled into rainsuits and got back on the road. Related: C. Jane Taylor | Ep. 45 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast SR‑­149 was as wonderful as described: a narrow‚ almost abandoned two‑­lane road snaking seductively through the San Juan Mountains and the Rio Grande National Forest. The weather was cold and drizzling‚ but the road was curvy‚ and the air smelled like earth and springtime in New England. We were in motorcycle heaven. Ten miles down the road‚ oncoming cars flashed their headlights‚ gesturing to slow down. Thinking they were trying to warn us about a cop‚ I laughed. It had taken me five years to get up to the speed limit. We continued with caution until a mudslide stopped us in our tracks. If we hadn’t been wearing helmets‚ we would have scratched our heads in a “Now what?” gesture. Like U.S. 50‚ it seemed SR‑­149 would soon be closed too‚ but we gingerly traversed the shallow edge of the slide at the far‑­left side of the road. Alert to the changes in road surface and rambunctious streams in the gullies flanking the road‚ we pushed forward like children anticipating candy at Halloween. SR-149 near Powderhorn‚ Colorado. Instead of candy‚ we sought groceries as we rolled into Lake City and its tiny country store whose proprietors seemed to be a badly mismatched couple. The woman in long braids glared at us as if we’d tracked mud onto her freshly mopped floor‚ while the man – handsome in a Willie Nelson kind of way‚ if Willie Nelson could be considered handsome – happily greeted us‚ teasing about our florescent green rainsuits. “We are not men‚ we are Devo‚” he joked in a robotic voice referencing the ’70s New Wave band famous for their quirky spaceman costumes. We bought vegetables‚ tortillas‚ and cheese for quesadillas we would cook once we found a campsite for the night. Lake City is an eye‑­blink of an old mining town with the down‑­at‑­heel aspect of a climate-change ski resort in shoulder season. The cold‚ damp weather did not bring any charm to the Grizzly Adams cabins lining the road. I attributed the town’s creepiness to its horror‑­movie sepia tones and bad weather‚ but I later learned that Lake City gained notoriety in 1875 when Alferd Packer‚ the “Colorado Cannibal‚” was charged with killing and eating the prospectors he’d been hired to guide through the San Juan Mountains after the group had become snowbound. In the spring‚ five bodies with human teeth marks were found at the foot of Slumgullion Pass. Lake City’s Hinsdale County Museum has an extensive collection of Packer memorabilia‚ including a skull fragment from one of his victims and several buttons from the clothes of the five men he ate. The area where the bodies were discovered is now known as Cannibal Plateau. Odder still‚ the area hosts an annual Alferd Packer Jeep Tour and Barbecue. As we approached the peak of Slumgullion Pass near Lake City‚ Colorado‚ the rain abated‚ and the skies cleared. My unease was supplanted by the fear and exhilaration of climbing out of town along steep‚ wet switchbacks to Windy Point Observation Site and Slumgullion Pass. As we climbed‚ I chimed into the headset‚ “Don’t look right‚ Johnny.” The narrow two‑­lane highway had no guardrail‚ and the drop-off induced a vertigo that made me tighten my grip on my handlebar and tank. At Windy Point‚ we stopped to look back at the long narrow valley thousands of feet below us. Evening was approaching‚ and we were still in the middle of a sheer climb on our way to North Clear Creek Campground‚ a destination we were not sure even existed‚ but the sky finally opened‚ and the tight switchbacks loosened as we topped 11‚530‑­foot Slumgullion Pass. The map we consulted – and re‑­consulted – showed the campground within 50 miles. Trying to keep from being swept up in the National Geographic beauty of the broadening landscape‚ I kept my eyes peeled for a Forest Service campground sign. We were hungry and cold‚ and it was getting late. We’d passed so little traffic‚ I was game to pitch the tent at the side of the road‚ but John persisted. North Clear Creek Campground in Colorado’s Rio Grande National Forest was our home for the night after an eventful ride. We finally turned off SR‑­149 and crossed a cattle guard onto Forest Road 510‚ which fell away to vertiginous Class‑­IV switchbacks. I groaned but also laughed. It was the “dropping hour.” We have a joke that on extended motorcycle trips‚ we often face the most challenging miles of the day right before arriving at our destination exhausted and hungry. The road toyed with us. I inched down its sharp gravel turns‚ determined but cautious given the hour. As I eased down one hill‚ a young woman on a dirtbike blasted up it. Encouraged that there might be an actual campground ahead and inspired by another woman on a bike‚ I sped all the way up to 2nd gear! Pink sunglasses reflect the expansive valley near Creede. After almost missing the 70‑­degree turn into the campground at the bottom of the hill and duck‑­walking the bikes back over sandy gravel ruts‚ we casually rolled into the nearly vacant campground and found a suitable spot with a picnic table‚ breathtaking panoramic views‚ and a glorious sunset reflected off the peaks of the Rio Grande National Forest. The next morning was cold and clear. With visions of coffee and pastries dancing in our helmets‚ we headed toward Creede‚ home to an underground mining museum‚ the Mineral County Landfill‚ a cemetery‚ a chapel‚ and an excellent little food truck/coffee shop that appeared to be set up during the pandemic like a one‑­way street‚ with one entrance and one exit. The pastry case was filled with buttery French confections‚ the air with the scent of espresso. Bon appétit! We took our pastries to a table outside where we lounged‚ sipping cappuccinos in the sun. The population of Creede‚ Colorado‚ swells from 300 to 10‚000 on July 4th. After a cold‚ wet‚ challenging ride the day before‚ it was an oasis. We found a mobile coffee shop where we enjoyed the company of locals‚ pain au chocolat‚ and cappuccinos in the sun. The road along the Rio Grande – which far downstream serves as the border between Texas and Mexico – was as good as the croissants. At South Fork‚ we headed south on U.S. Route 160 and climbed to 10‚856‑­foot Wolf Creek Pass. It was cold at elevation‚ and we encountered traffic and threatening weather‚ but the road was smooth‚ wide‚ and curvy through Pagosa Springs and Chimney Rock. We lunched in Durango after a torrential downpour trapped us under a busy highway underpass. U.S. 160 through the mountains near Hesperus Ski Area was fabulous despite the cold and wet. Things got warmer as we descended out of the mountains‚ and by the time we got to Mancos‚ we were sweltering in the heat of the desert. We took off as much as we could and poured cold water down the backs of our armored jackets. Body temperature management was a challenge we had improved at over time. South of Creede‚ the Rio Grande snakes along SR-149 on the way to South Fork. In the blazing heat‚ we headed west on State Route 184 toward Dolores‚ then north on U.S. Route 491 past Yellow Jacket and into Canyons of the Ancients National Monument‚ administered by the Bureau of Land Management and inhabited almost solely by spirits. The road narrowed and then narrowed again. There is something gritty and fundamental about these small roads‚ something secret and unspoken like the second indents of an outline of one’s life or the dark side of the moon. The heat kept building. As we crossed into Utah‚ the landscape gave way to a barren‚ flat emptiness without trees or buildings. We traveled in silent awe‚ feeling exposed in the heat but excited about the ruins of Hovenweep National Monument. Our day took us from cold rain and high passes to sweltering heat and desert valleys. The sunset at Hovenweep was a just reward. Known for six groups of Ancestral Puebloan villages‚ Hovenweep contains evidence of occupation by hunter‑­gatherers from 8‚000 B.C. until AD 200. We were finally going to visit the spirits we’d been sensing on this hot road. We turned into what seemed the middle of nowhere‚ but John assured me this was the way. I saw only shrubs‚ grasses‚ and sage until I glimpsed a sign the size of a sheet of paper with an arrow proving him right: Hovenweep National Monument. We traversed a lunar landscape of sand‚ craters‚ dead volcanoes‚ and lava flows until we happened upon a herd of wild horses in the middle of the road. We stopped to gape. Shy and beautiful‚ they paused in their grazing to examine us. Though I wanted to join these beasts on a romanticized journey out of a dream‚ we had to keep moving. Standing still in the late afternoon heat was a torture neither of us wanted to endure – magical‚ wild horses notwithstanding. Sunset on the ruins at Hovenweep National Monument in Utah. Reminiscent of Death Valley with its lethal sun‚ long straightaways‚ and distant bluffs‚ Hovenweep Road also reminded me of the song by America “A Horse with No Name.” I started to understand the line “In the desert‚ you can’t remember your name.” In the heat and arid sameness of the landscape‚ time seemed to stop. I could tell we were moving‚ if only for the visual cue of the scenery receding in my mirror. I became flooded with the eerie sensation of being watched. It felt as if the ghosts of millennia were hovering just above the heat waves upwelling from the macadam. “Hovenweep” is a Paiute/Ute word meaning “deserted valley.” As we rode into the scorched campground‚ I sensed that the ancestors were still there. A clan of attentive ravens seemed to be protectors – or just eager to see what food they could liberate from us. Hovenweep is a special place‚ and we had the distinct feeling that the ancestors were still there. After pouring rationed water onto our heads and down our backs‚ we hiked off to see the ruins‚ following a faint path between rock walls leading to a dry creek bed. Walking fast to beat the setting sun‚ we climbed down into the creek bed then up the other side until we saw what looked like a crumbling brick silo. Hovenweep at last! As we gazed in silence at the majestic ruins of a once‑­lively community‚ a rainbow broke through distant storm clouds. Back at our campsite‚ we cooked dinner in the waning light as a million stars began to wink. See all of Rider‘s touring stories here. The post Riding From Gunnison‚ Colorado‚ to Hovenweep National Monument appeared first on Rider Magazine.